With Oronde Gadsden II announcing before the game that his injury would cause him to miss the remainder of the season, the focus for the pass game shifts to Damien Alford, Donovan Brown, Umari Hatcher, and Isaiah Jones.

Here’s how they have fared the last two weeks against Western Michigan and Purdue:

• Alford – one catch for 15 yards, four catches for 70 yards

• Brown – three catches for 89 yards and a touchdown, four catches for 52 yards

• Hatcher – five catches for 83 yards, zero catches

• Jones – five catches for 86 yards, zero catches

Hatcher had a bad drop behind the defense at the Purdue 11 in the first quarter, but did acquit himself nicely as a blocker, including sealing the alley on Shrader’s final score.

Donovan Brown mishandled another pass and D’Marcus Adams just missed reaching a deep ball after getting behind the defense in his lone opportunity.

While the wide receivers managed moderate production, they need to produce consistently as a group.

Their effort against Purdue, plus Adams having an okay night as a returner (fair catches on his two punt opportunities, only 11 yards on the kickoff return after Purdue pulled within 28-20) underlines the need for Trebor Pena, the regular kickoff and punt returner who also had 22 receptions last season, to make his season debut soon.

Another trickledown effect of the Gadsden injury is the sharp increase in Garrett Shrader’s usage as a runner and subsequently suffering hits. Through two drives, SU had 16 offensive snaps with Shrader as a ballcarrier six times and a passer eight. In his abbreviated work over the first two games, the Orange quarterback had 11 carries, including suffering one sack.

Those first two drives were just the start of a busy night for Shrader, who drew separate roughing flags on one low hit and contact on the facemask. Purdue’s defense was credited with four sacks and one quarterback hit, in addition to all Shrader’s rushing attempts.

Obviously, no one was credited with tackles on Shrader’s touchdown runs, but he did take contact from multiple players on two scores and a defensive penalty wiped another carry off the stat sheet.

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